Bridge and Transmitting Apparatus, and Information System

Abstract

A bridge is provided with a first portal connected to a first communication line forming one part of a network for transmitting/receiving information via the first communication line, and a second portal connected with a second communication line forming the other part of the network for transmitting/receiving information via the second communication line. These first and second portals can transfer information received, to each other. When one of the first and second portals receives, in case a connection has already been established on the network including that bridge, environment updating information for updating the using environment of the connection, via one of the first and second communication lines, one of the first and second portals transfers the environment updating information received, to the other. The other of the first and second portals updates the using environment of the other of the first and second communication lines in accordance with the environment updating information transferred.

1 . (canceled)  
   
   
       2 . A bridge for functioning as a relay node on a network, wherein 
 said bridge comprises:    a first portal for transmitting and receiving information via a first communication channel, the first portal being connected to the first communication channel constituting one portion of the network; and    a second portal for transmitting and receiving information via a second communication channel, the second portal being connected to the second communication channel constituting another portion of the network,    said first and second portals can transfer the received information to each other, and    in case a connection is already established on the network including said bridge, if one of said first and second portals monitors a use environment of one of the first and second communication channels and detects that the use environment of the one of the first and second communication channels is updated, the one of said first and second portals generates environment update information, which is one of the information and which is to update a use environment of the connection, and transmits it to the other of said first and second portals, and the other of said first and second portals updates a use environment of the other of the first and second communication channel in accordance with the transmitted environment update information.    
   
   
       3 . (canceled)  
   
   
       4 . The bridge according to  claim 2 , wherein the other of said first and second portals updates the use environment of the other of the first and second communication channel and transmits the environment update information to another bridge via the other of the first and second communication channels.  
   
   
       5 . (canceled)  
   
   
       6 . The bridge according to  claim 4 , wherein if the other of said first and second portals succeeds in updating the use environment of the other of the first and second communication channels, the other of said first and second portals transmits the environment update information to the another bridge via the other of the first and second communication channels.  
   
   
       7 . (canceled)  
   
   
       8 . The bridge according to  claim 2 , wherein if the other of said first and second portals fails in updating the use environment of the other of the first and second communication channels, the other of said first and second portals transmits updating failure information, which indicates a failure in the updating, to the one of said first and second portals, and the one of said first and second portals transmits the transmitted updating failure information to the one of the first and second communication channels.  
   
   
       9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . The bridge according to  claim 2 , wherein if the other of said first and second portals is connected to a node in an end of the connection, without via the another node, the other of said first and second portals transmits updating success/failure information, which indicates a success or failure in the updating of the use environment, to the one of said first and second portals, and the one of said first and second portals transmits the transmitted updating success/failure information to one of the first and second communication channels.  
   
   
       11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . The bridge according to  claim 2 , wherein the environment update information includes information for updating a used bandwidth on the connection, and the use environment includes the used bandwidth on the connection.  
   
   
       13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . (canceled)  
   
   
       15 . An information system, 
 comprising a bridge as a relay node,    said bridge for functioning as the relay node on a network, wherein    said bridge comprises:    a first portal for transmitting and receiving information via a first communication channel, the first portal being connected to the first communication channel constituting one portion of the network; and    a second portal for transmitting and receiving information via a second communication channel, the second portal being connected to the second communication channel constituting another portion of the network,    said first and second portals can transfer the received information to each other, and    in case a connection is already established on the network including said bridge, if one of said first and second portals monitors a use environment of one of the first and second communication channels and detects that the use environment of the one of the first and second communication channels is updated, the one of said first and second portals generates environment update information, which is one of the information and which is to update a use environment of the connection, and transmits it to the other of said first and second portals, and the other of said first and second portals updates a use environment of the other of the first and second communication channel in accordance with the transmitted environment update information,    in said information system, dynamically updating the use environment of the connection, in case the connection is already established on the network including said bridge, by transmitting the environment update information to the one of the first and second communication channels and by updating the use environment of the other of the first and second communication channels if said bridge receives the environment update information on the one of said first and second portals via the one of the first and the second communication channels.    
   
   
       16 . (canceled)  
   
   
       17 . A transmitting method of transmitting information on a bridge for functioning as a relay node on a network, wherein said bridge comprises: a first portal for transmitting and receiving information via a first communication channel, the first portal being connected to the first communication channel constituting one portion of the network; and a second portal for transmitting and receiving information via a second communication channel, the second portal being connected to the second communication channel constituting another portion of the network, and said first and second portals can transfer the received information to each other, wherein 
 in case a connection is already established on the network including said bridge, if one of said first and second portals monitors a use environment of one of the first and second communication channels and detects that the use environment of the one of the first and second communication channels is updated, said method comprises    on the one of said first and second portals, generating environment update information, which is one of the information and which is to update a use environment of the connection, and transmitting it to the other of said first and second portals, and    on the other of said first and second portals, updating a use environment of the other of the first and second communication channel in accordance with the transmitted environment update information.    
   
   
       18 . (canceled)